Football Federation Australia head of operations Matt Carroll. Photo / Richard Robinson
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Contract talks between Football Federation Australia (FFA), the New Zealand Knights and the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) remain unresolved and won't resume until later this week, at the earliest.
A meeting scheduled for today will not take place, a frustrating result for FFA head of operations Matt Carroll,
who had remained in Auckland this morning hopeful of continuing negotiations.
Since taking the A-League licence from former owners Octagon Sports Ltd last Thursday, the FFA has offered to pay the Knights' unpaid wages for December.
Also on the table are contracts until the end of the season on January 21, a further month's salary if a player is not picked up by a new club by February 21 and the offer to pay air travel so the franchise's overseas players can return home.
"The FFA is concerned that in the lead in to Christmas the players haven't been paid," Carroll said.
"So what we've proposed to the PFA is that even though the end of season contractual situation is yet to be determined, we're prepared to pay the players up to date and put in place the payments for the January period," Carroll said.
"I'm sure this will all be resolved."
Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounded Knights' training sessions ahead of their next match, against Queensland Roar at North Harbour Stadium on December 29.
Caretaker coach Ricki Herbert has asked for all Knights players to be medically screened by Wednesday but the contract standoff meant a Boxing Day training session was the most likely training resumption date.
The A-League holidays from December 21-25 inclusive.
New Zealand Soccer (NZS) is acting as the FFA's agent for the remainder of the A-League season.
NZS chief executive Graham Seatter said there would be no training until the contract issue was resolved.
"The FFA and New Zealand Soccer are in the hands of the players in terms of when and how this thing can move forward," Seatter said.
- NZPA
